Faf du Plessis: The captain of Royal Challengers Bangalore explained the importance of backing someone like his predecessor.
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Royal Challengers Bangalore captain Faf du Plessis was praiseworthy of their fielding which provided them two crucial wickets in a must-win match against Gujarat Titans at the Wankhede Stadium tonight.
Asked to bowl first by Titans captain Hardik Pandya, Royal Challengers were able to dismiss their opening batter Shubman Gill (1) in the third over mainly because of all-rounder Glenn Maxwell’s one-handed stunner in the slips.
du Plessis took the mantle in his own hands to send wicket-keeper batter Wriddhiman Saha (31) back to the pavilion in the ninth over. Fielding at mid-off, du Plessis made the most of Saha’s hesitation to sneak a run to find him short of his crease at the batting end.
“That catch was awesome. We were trying to get some wickets in the powerplay. The run-out was pretty cool as well. When I hit the stumps, I was like what do you say about my arm now?,” du Plesiss told Star Sports during the post-match presentation ceremony.
Having won their eighth match of the season, Bangalore now need Mumbai Indians to defeat Delhi Capitals for them to qualify for the playoffs. It was due to the same reason that du Plessis admitted to banking on Mumbai captain Rohit Sharma to come good at the same venue on Saturday.
Faf du Plessis spells out experience of batting alongside Virat Kohli at RCB
RCB, who had been missing a solid opening partnership this season, saw former captain Virat Kohli and du Plessis putting together a match-winning 115-run partnership in a 169-run chase. In what was their highest opening partnership of the season, it was their second-highest for any wicket.
Bangalore’s first 100+ opening partnership of IPL 2022 witnessed Kohli finally finding some form as his 73 (54) comprised of eight fours and two sixes and were enough to win him his first match award of the season.
du Plessis, who probably had been the closest to see Kohli struggle this season, spelled out the experience of batting alongside his predecessor.
“Throughout the season we haven’t done as much as have liked. But you still need to back these big players. Virat [Kohli] had been putting in the hard yards in the nets. I play the role with him and get him pumped up. He has got so much emotion and he pulls you through. It is as if you are playing a rugby game,” du Plessis said.
